He then went to the house of his daughter ʿĀʾishah. She gave him leave, so he entered; the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had already departed this life, lying on the couch while the women stood around him. They covered their faces and withdrew from Abū Bakr—ʿĀʾishah alone remained visible. Abū Bakr uncovered the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, knelt beside him, began kissing him, and wept, saying:
“Nothing Ibn al-Khaṭṭāb says changes the reality. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ has died—by Him in whose hand is my soul. Mercy of Allah be upon you, O Messenger of Allah; how noble you were, both living and dead.”
He then drew the cloth back over him, hurried out to the mosque, threading his way through the people until he reached the pulpit. When ʿUmar saw Abū Bakr approaching, he sat down. Abū Bakr stood beside the pulpit and called the people; they sat and listened attentively. He pronounced the tashahhud as he knew it and said:
“Allah, Exalted is He, has announced His Prophet’s death to him while he was still among you, and He has announced your own death to you—for death is inevitable, and none of you shall remain save Allah, Exalted is He. He says: ‘Muhammad is but a messenger; messengers have passed on before him…’ (Āl ʿImrān 3:144).”
ʿUmar exclaimed, “Is that verse in the Qur’an? By Allah, I never knew it had been revealed until today!”
Abū Bakr continued:
“Allah the Exalted also said to Muhammad ﷺ: ‘Indeed, you will die, and they too will die.’ (Al-Zumar 39:30)
“And He said: ‘Everything will perish save His Face; His is the command, and to Him you will be returned.’ (Al-Qaṣaṣ 28:88)
“And He said: ‘All that is upon it will perish; but the Face of your Lord, full of majesty and honor, shall endure.’ (Al-Raḥmān 55:26–27)
“And He said: ‘Every soul shall taste death, and you will be paid your wages in full on the Day of Resurrection.’ (Āl ʿImrān 3:185)
“Allah prolonged the life of Muhammad ﷺ until he established Allah’s religion, made His command manifest, conveyed His message, and strove in His path. Then Allah caused him to die upon that. He has left you upon the clear road; none will perish now except one who perishes after evident proof. Whoever takes Allah as his Lord—Allah is Living and never dies; and whoever worshiped Muhammad, treating him as a deity, his deity has perished. So fear Allah, people, hold fast to your religion, and rely upon your Lord. The religion of Allah stands firm; the word of Allah is complete; Allah will support those who support Him and will exalt His religion. The Book of Allah is among us: light and healing. Through it Allah guided Muhammad ﷺ, and in it are His lawful and unlawful commands. By Allah, we are unmoved by whoever musters against us from among creation. The swords of Allah remain unsheathed; we have not laid them down yet. We shall continue to strive against anyone who opposes us just as we strove alongside the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, so let every person look to his own soul.”
The Emigrants then accompanied him back to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He went on to relate the details of the washing, shrouding, funeral prayer, and burial.
I say: We shall cite all of that fully, with its proofs and corroborations, if Allah Most High wills.
Al-Wāqidī narrated from his teachers that when some doubted the Prophet’s death—some saying he had died and others that he had not—Asmāʾ bint ʿUmays placed her hand between the Messenger of Allah’s shoulders. (She said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ has passed away.”) The seal of prophethood had been lifted from between his shoulders, and thereby his death was recognized. Such is the report he transmitted.